OPSU News

**For Immediate Release**
Softball Splits with BaconeBy Laura Nelson on 04/25/2013Goodwell, Okla.—The Oklahoma Panhandle State University softball team got caught up in a slug fest with Bacone College Wednesday afternoon and split the exciting twin bill with the visitors.

The Aggies, playing in pink uniforms to raise cancer awareness, started the scoring in the first inning of game one when Emily Vasquez stepped up and hit a double to send Kaitlin McCool home. The Lady Warriors replied with five combined runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 5-1 lead, but OPSU fought right back, plating three more in the fourth to come within one run of a tie. Bacone surged ahead in the fifth with four more runs for a 9-4 lead.

When OPSU came up to bat in the fifth, Lilli Ward singled and Britnie Weddle was hit by a pitch, and with runners at first and second, Bristol Ashlock singled to get Ward home. Junna'e Dai'Re took a base on balls to load the bases when Kaitlin McCool came up to bat and hit a double that scored all three runners. With the tying run on second, Brandi Heath hit a two-out single to get McCool to third and then Vasquez once again produced a single to score McCool.

With the score tied at nine-all, Bacone's lead-off in the sixth knocked a homerun over the fence and then they scored three more runs to pull ahead 13-9. The Aggies weren't done, though, as McCool drove in two more runs in the sixth, but that ended the scoring for the game and the Aggies lost 13-11.

In game two, the Aggies took a commanding 5-0 lead in the first inning. Emily Vasquez and Kari Pitts both hit two-out singles and then Ward sent them both home with a stand-up triple. Ashlock and Krista Bomak followed that with singles and Dai'Re had another base hit that scored Ashlock. Julie Cross knocked out another single to get Bomak home to end the scoring. With the Lady Warriors at the plate in the third, left fielder Dai'Re made an amazing diving catch for the second out, but Bacone went on to score three runs and three more in the fourth to lead OPSU 6-5.

If all of that was not exciting enough, the Aggies batted around nearly two times in their half of the fourth, scoring 12 runs, and then held the Lady Warriors to only one run in the fifth to take a 17-7 run rule decision.

For the two games, eight Aggie batters averaged .500 or better, led by Vasquez with six hits and three runs in eight plate appearances. Bomak also posted a .750 with three hits in four at-bats while McCool notched eight RBIs. Pitcher Samantha Arledge earned the win in the second game while Presjel Dai'Re was credited with the loss in game one.

The women play their final games of their 2013 campaign April 26-27 at home against Texas A&M International. The Friday doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. On Saturday, 11 senior players will be honored for their contributions to the team before the first pitch at noon.###